{{rewrite|it does not explain what autism is or what "causes" it; rather lurches from chatty provision of slang words (like "stimming") to medical jargon (like "spectrum disorder"); it employs outright speculation, implying that the problem has a neurological or a (physical) environmental cause such as vaccinations or pollution}}
'''Autism''' is a [[neurological disorder]], characterized by inability to interact socially; linguistic disability; intense, narrow interests; and repetitive behaviors. These are called stims or stimming. They include walking on tiptoes, flapping of hands, staring at objects for a prolonged period of time, oral fixation, spinning in circles, and other repetitive activities. Other signs include lack of eye contact, playing alone, lack of words, or in the case of [[Asperger's syndrome]] possessing a large vocabulary and intense knowledge of specialized areas but a lack of social skills or inappropriate behavior. It is usually detected by the time a child is four years old but in some cases, autism goes unnoticed into adulthood. There are many intelligent and talented autistic individuals.<ref>Temple Grandin, "Thinking in Pictures, Expanded Edition: My Life with Autism" amazon link http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0307275655/ref=wl_it_dp/103-3432247-4184629?ie=UTF8&coliid=I1CWNFSEUCIXQL&colid=49VN3HJC5OQK</ref> The term '''autism''' was first used in 1912, and is based on the perception that autistic individuals tend to be self-absorbed and have difficulty relating to others.
Diagnoses of autism has increased from 1:10,000 in 1988 to as high as 1 in 150 people,<ref>http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism/faq_prevalence.htm</ref> and it has been rising. Four times as many boys suffer from autism as girls.<ref name="Clinic Stats">http://www.iupui.edu/~psycdept/autism/autism.htm</ref> Among boys, 1 in 94 has the disorder. In New Jersey, which has the highest rate in the nation, 1 in every 60 boys has autism and 1 in every 94 children is affected. There is a seizure disorder in about one-third of those who have autism.<ref name="Clinic Stats"/>